Fire Extinguishers: Things We do that Put Out Our Fire, Part II

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

When Jesus was followed by a large crowd looking for bread in the wilderness, he told them that if they knew who it was they were following and what he had to offer, they would not be satisfied with mere bread. They would, instead, want the true bread, the bread that has come down from heaven. (John 6:25-35, NRSV)



Bread, like fire, is a biblical image for God’s presence. Specifically, it shows how we rely on God for our sustenance. Like the Israelites who ate manna in the wilderness and the multitudes who enjoyed the multiplied loaves, we too enjoy the benefit of the bread of life prepared for us a grace and a mercy. If we starve the flame out in our lives it is of our own doing.


There are means by which we receive this graciously given bread. As with a fire on the hearth, our fire must be renewed afresh daily. We find, as did the Israelites, that it is not a matter of hoarding enough for several days. When we neglect our daily bread the fire starves and dies out.


One way we starve our fire of its daily bread is failure to pray, specifically, failing to listen when we pray. Taking Jesus as our example, we should look for daily opportunities to have times when we can have prayer. This prayer should not be one sided either. A large part of your prayer time should be set aside for listening.


Think of it as entering into a conversation. If one person does all of the talking it ceases to be a dialogue. And, of course, please do not stress out about hearing an audible voice. As you practice prayer more carefully and regularly, you will find that God often speaks in inexplicable silence as his spirit testifies with your own for conviction or assurance.


Importantly, you must realize that prayer is not just a private endeavor. John Wesley says that prayer can be done either “secretly” or “in the great congregation”. It is in shared prayer that we often find ourselves fed in unique ways. Whether it be ritual or extemporaneous, the shared prayers of the people are a powerful way to stoke the fire.


Along the same lines we also starve the flame by neglecting our private and public study of scripture. This searching of the scripture includes the reading, hearing and thoughtful pondering upon scripture. Be it a personal bible devotion, group study or corporate worship, we must keep our hearts fully provisioned with scripture.


Finally, when we fail to avail ourselves of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper – the taking of the bread and cup – we cut ourselves off from a unique experience of the grace of God, further starving our fire.


There are many reasons why people fail to take communion. Some are too busy. Some are afraid that it will become too familiar. In other words, they think it will become a common thing. I once had a person tell me that it was wrong to offer communion more often than once a month. They said it was not the United Methodist way.


Most often, however, people abstain from the sacrament because they feel they are unprepared or, even worse, unworthy. If you are a person who avoids the table for this reason I want you to consider this.


The communion has very little to do with your holiness and everything to do with God’s.


As a means of grace, the act of communion is a devotion we have been called upon to practice in remembrance of Christ so that we might remember him. In doing so, we have him present with us. Once again, it is this presence of God that sanctifies us and not anything we can do for ourselves. Indeed, if our salvation was a matter of God waiting for us to prepare ourselves all of humanity would still be waiting on the day of the Lord.


For someone like Wesley and the other Methodists, the sacrament of communion was the chief way in which believers feed the fire of the Holy Spirit in their lives. In fact, he called for constant communion, asserting that the believer should avail herself of the sacrament as often as possible. There was no maximum number of times an individual could take it. Even today, the United Methodist Book of Discipline mandates that it be served no fewer than five times a year. There is no maximum.


We, as a people, value this meal for in it we are reminded that God invites us to his table in spite of our failings. We gather around it in hope that his presence will redeem us, teaching us true holiness. Therefore, all who gather around this table are saintly sinners seeking the fire of a Holy God.